It’s salad week here on Family Food on the Table. Earlier this week I shared BBQ salmon salad, which is full of fresh veggies and roasted BBQ-basted salmon, plus a creamy dressing to top it all off. Today, we’re doing yet another take on one of my very favorite kinds of salads. Previously I’ve shared my go-to healthy chicken salad, but also harvest chicken salad and curry chicken salad. Oh, and my basil chicken salad with walnuts. Can we say obsessed, much?! Totally guilty as charged. My newest twist is this super fun buffalo chicken salad that is like a flavor bomb for your mouth. It’s cool and creamy, with a bit of a spicy zip to it, and it’s seriously crave-worthy.
You’ll be counting down the minutes until lunchtime when you’ve got this waiting for you! Also, it’s just 6 ingredients and only takes about 10 minutes to put together. It’s perfect for throwing together and keeping on hand for the week. And it’s so darn tasty, you’ll be making it again and again like I’ve been doing! (Oh and if you love these flavors, check out this buffalo chicken dip appetizer that can be served cold or baked and served warm.) OK, let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make buffalo chicken salad. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making buffalo chicken salad:
The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and cooled, so please plan accordingly. (See notes below about how to cook the chicken if you don’t have some ready.) The recipe calls for a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. You can certainly use all mayo if you prefer. (And regular or a light mayo are fine, as is nonfat Greek yogurt.) Use your favorite buffalo sauce for this recipe. And if you want to spice it up even more, choose a spicy buffalo sauce.
OK, let’s discuss the actual chicken part. We’ve got options here on what to use.
About the chicken in buffalo chicken salad:
- You’ll need about 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken for this recipe.
- You can take 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and place them in a pot of boiling water on the stove. Lower the heat slightly but maintain a boil (a rolling boil is fine as long as you’re not going to bubble over).
- They’ll take 25-35 minutes to cook through, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Then use some tongs to remove them from the pot of water and set the cooked chicken aside to cool. Once it’s cool enough to handle, chop the chicken into small pieces, let it all cool completely and then you’re ready to make the salad.
- Or you can absolutely substitute a rotisserie chicken if you prefer. Or even some leftover baked or grilled chicken.
- I often use crockpot shredded chicken or Instant Pot shredded chicken and just chop it instead of shredding it.
Also, you can chop your chicken as chunky or as finely as you like. It’s really your personal preference whether you want big meaty pieces of chicken or if you want them diced small so everything is more uniform and smooth. (Though it also depends a bit on how you’re going to serve it. The size of your cut chicken won’t matter if you’re making sandwiches or wraps, but if you’re serving this as an appetizer or with small crackers, you’re going to want a smaller dice. So consider that part too.) OK, let’s get ready to dig in! I’ve got a few ideas for you on ways to serve this up. It’s super versatile, which I love.
Serving ideas for buffalo chicken salad:
– The salad can be scooped and served on salad greens as an actual salad. Sliced cucumbers and carrots are good additions here too. – Serve it with crackers for scooping and eating. Or even tortilla or corn chips. – Make a buffalo chicken salad sandwich with some whole grain bread and extra mayo, or mustard, spread on it. A sandwich is great with baby spinach or fresh greens as well. – Or make an open-faced sandwich of sorts with some toasted baguette slices and the chicken salad piled on top. – Use your chicken salad for a wrap with whole wheat, spinach or regular tortillas. Or use a lettuce wrap for a low-carb option. – Spoon the chicken salad into mini phyllo cups or wonton cups for serving as an appetizer. – Or make sliders with this buffalo chicken salad - it would be great for game day snacking! So many ways to enjoy it! It’ll definitely have you coming back for more and more and more.
Finally, let’s talk about how to store this salad.
How to store leftover buffalo chicken salad:
Chicken salad will keep, covered, in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can store it in a plastic container with a lid or in a bowl with a top or covered in plastic wrap.
I hope you give this a try if you want a zippy twist to your regular lunch time routine. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn
Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and cooled, so please plan accordingly. You can use rotisserie chicken, crock pot or Instant Pot chicken or baked chicken. See below if you have raw chicken breasts. Mayo/Greek yogurt: The recipe calls for a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. You can certainly use all mayo if you prefer. (And regular or a light mayo are fine, as is nonfat Greek yogurt.) Buffalo sauce: Use your favorite buffalo sauce for this recipe. And if you want to spice it up, choose a spicy buffalo sauce. How to cook your chicken: You can take 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and place them in a pot of boiling water on the stove. Lower the heat slightly and leave it a boil (a rolling boil is fine as long as you’re not going to bubble over). They’ll take 25-35 minutes to cook through, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Then use some tongs to remove them from the pot of water and set the cooked chicken aside to cool. Once it’s cool enough to handle, chop the chicken into small pieces, let it cool completely and then you’re ready to make the salad. Serving ideas for buffalo chicken salad:
The salad can be scooped and served on salad greens as an actual salad. Sliced cucumbers and carrots are good additions here too.Serve it with crackers for scooping and eating. Or even tortilla or corn chips.Make a buffalo chicken salad sandwich with some whole grain bread and extra mayo, or mustard, spread on it. A sandwich is great with baby spinach or fresh greens as well.Or make an open-faced sandwich of sorts with some toasted baguette slices and the chicken salad piled on top.Use your chicken salad for a wrap with whole wheat, spinach or regular tortillas. Or use a lettuce wrap for a low-carb option.Spoon the chicken salad into mini phyllo cups or wonton cups for serving as an appetizer.Or make sliders with this buffalo chicken salad - it would be great for game day snacking!
How to store leftovers: This chicken salad will keep, covered, in the fridge for 4-5 days.
title: “Buffalo Chicken Salad” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-01” author: “Ariane Green”
0 0 Published Sep 09, 2024, Updated Oct 04, 2024 It’s got everything you love about buffalo chicken, but in a lighter, more versatile form. I love how this salad can be prepped in minutes and enjoyed in so many ways — whether you’re scooping it up with crackers, piling it onto a bed of greens, or stuffing it into a wrap for a quick lunch — the options are endless! Plus, just like with all my chicken salads this recipe is super easy to make, especially if you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or prep your shredded chicken in advance. I love meal prepping my slow cooker shredded chicken to have on hand for salads like this one throughout the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick & Easy – This salad comes together in minutes with simple ingredients, making it perfect for busy days when you need something fast but still satisfying. Flavorful – The combo of buffalo sauce, Greek yogurt, mayo and crunchy veggies makes every bite jam-packed with flavor. It’s got just the right amount of heat balanced with creamy and crunchiness. Versatile – You can enjoy this salad so many ways – on its own, with crackers (like my almond flour crackers), as a sandwich or wrap, or over a bed of greens – the options are endless! Perfect for Meal Prep – Make a batch over the weekend so you have lunches ready to go for the week.
shredded chicken – I love using rotisserie chicken for this recipe because it’s quick and easy, but you can also use my foolproof method for slow cooker shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken. buffalo sauce – this is where all the bold, spicy flavor comes from. Look for a clean buffalo wing sauce without artificial flavors or colors, seed oils or corn syrup. My two favorite brands are the Primal Kitchen Medium Heat Buffalo Sauce and Noble Made Medium Buffalo Sauce. Frank’s Hot Sauce is also a good option. red onion and celery – these veggies add a little texture, crunch and color to the salad. mayonnaise and greek yogurt – the combo of the two binds the ingredients together with a creamy texture. I love using plain greek yogurt as a sub for some of the mayo because it has less fat and calories and more protein. When it comes to mayo, I love using the Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayo, which is sugar-free, dairy-free and refined oil-free.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to serve this buffalo chicken salad. Here are some serving suggestions:
Over greens: Serve the chicken salad on a bed of fresh greens like spinach, arugula, or mixed baby greens for something light and nutritious. With crackers: Serve this chicken salad with crackers for a snack or light lunch. Try my almond flour crackers. As a sandwich: Make buffalo chicken salad sandwiches by serving it on sourdough bread or croissants. I love adding tomato slices, carrot sticks, red onion, lettuce and blue cheese crumbles or spinach to make it a full sandwich. As a wrap: If you prefer a wrap to a sandwich add this chicken salad to your favorite tortilla along with tomatoes, lettuce and blue cheese crumbles, wrap it up and enjoy! For a a low-carb and gluten-free option, use large lettuce leaves (such as iceberg or butter lettuce) as wraps.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. When ready to serve, give the salad a good stir and add any additional seasoning if needed. If it seems a bit dry, you can add a little more Greek yogurt or mayonnaise to freshen it up. If you’re packing this salad for lunch, I recommend keeping any extra toppings, like green onions or blue cheese crumbles, separate until you’re ready to eat. This way, everything stays as fresh and crisp as possible. It’s an easy and tasty way to enjoy this salad all week long!
More Protein Salad Recipes to Try
Healthy Egg Salad Curry Chicken Salad Salmon Salad Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Tarragon Chicken Salad
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
